After acquiring reliever Seranthony Domínguez from the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday, the Baltimore Orioles have added lefty reliever Gregory Soto to their bullpen. As the trade deadline comes to an end, Baltimore added a second Phillies reliever to their pitching staff, acquiring the two-time All-Star on Tuesday.
We have made the following trade: pic.twitter.com/bw7x5Juffs
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) July 30, 2024
Orioles Acquire Lefty Reliever Gregory Soto from Phillies
Soto was signed by the Detroit Tigers as an international free agent in 2012. He spent parts of four seasons as the primary closer in the Motor City. He was a two-time All-Star, recording 50 saves with a 4.13 ERA and 1.490 WHIP for Detroit before being traded to Philadelphia last year. In 43 appearances this season, the 29-year-old southpaw owns a 4.08 ERA and 1.585 WHIP over 35 ⅓ innings. Soto has been primarily used in a setup role for the Phillies and has experience working in high-leverage situations. He is expected to handle middle relief for Baltimore while giving manager Brandon Hyde the option to alternate in the ninth inning between him and righty closer Craig Kimbrel.
Soto sports a five-pitch mix but relies mostly on his sinker (41%) and slider (38.7%). His 26.7% strikeout rate is near a career high, as is his 12.1% walk rate. The southpaw is arbitration-eligible for one more season before entering free agency in 2026. Soto will reunite with former Phillies teammates Kimbrel and Domínguez in the Orioles bullpen. Baltimore relievers have combined for the sixth-best ERA in the American League (3.92) and the second-best opponent average (.220).
In the deal sending Gregory Soto to the Orioles, the Phillies received right-handed pitching prospects Seth Johnson and Moisés Chace. According to Baseball America, Johnson is the Orioles’ 12th-ranked prospect while Chace ranks 24th. Johnson has made 18 starts for Double-A Bowie, pitching to a 2.63 ERA. Meanwhile, Chace carries a 3.46 ERA in 17 appearances (nine starts) for High-A Aberdeen.
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